While the team will downplay it, there is a lot of talk and a lot of hype surrounding the Nipissing Lakers women's hockey team entering the 2016-17 season.

After coming within a goal from a trip to the OUA championship game and CIS championships, the Lakers are reloaded and ready to go and they got off to a great start last night.

They hit the road for a pair of games this weekend to begin the season, facing the Queens Gaels Saturday and the UOIT Ridgebacks Sunday afternoon.

On Saturday, Nipissing came away with a 5-2 victory over the Gaels in Kingston, thanks to multi-point games by Sam Strassburger, Alexane Papineau and Bronwyn Bolduc.

Along with a great performance by Jackie Rochefort who made 32 saves.

Papineau got the season started off the right way, scoring early in the first period to set the tone.

The Gaels would respond just over a minute later to send the team to the dressing room tied 1-1 after 20 minutes.

From that point on, however, the Lakers took control.

Nipissing used goals by Kaley Tienhaara, Bolduc and Kaitlyn McManus, all in the second period, to take a 4-2 lead into the final frame.

Strassburger would add a goal to seal the victory for the Lakers, who eliminated Queens last season in the post-season for their first ever series win.

Sunday, the Lakers were in tough, going to a shootout, but they outlasted the Ridgebacks for their second straight win.

After opening the scoring for a second straight game thanks to Zosia Davis' goal, the Lakers found themselves even once again about eight minutes later as UOIT tied the game.

With the score tied 1-1, early in the second period, Bolduc would give Nipissing their second lead of the game, but like the first, it didn't last.

Very shortly after, UOIT tied things up and after 40 minutes of play, the teams were even again.

Brooklyn Irwin would break the deadlock early in the third period with her first of the season, but just like the earlier one goal leads, it disappeared.

UOIT scored with just minutes left to even the game and send it to overtime.

In the extra period, both teams had power play chances, but failed convert and the game was decided in a shootout, with the Lakers picking up the win.

Kaitlyn McManus scored the lone shootout goal for Nipissing and Jackie Rochefort was great, making some huge saves in overtime and all three in the shootout.

The Lakers are back in action this weekend at home, Friday against Windsor at 7pm and Saturday versus Western at 4:30pm.